The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation
The Paul and Margaret Porter is a private foundation based in Fort Mill, South Carolina. It supports organizations working in education, social services, medical and palliative care, with stated priorities that include improving education, meeting basic humanitarian needs, and providing compassionate care for the elderly.
The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation at a glance
In short: The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation gave $330K across 42 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in North Carolina. 22% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $330,273
- +7.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 42
- +13.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,864
- -5.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $7,380,563
- +0.8% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (9 of 41, 2025)
- Primary geography
- North Carolina (69% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Most grants are one year in duration; multi-year commitments may be considered in compelling circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
- Contact
Mailing address: 611 Kingston Way, Fort Mill, SC 29715
Phone: (704) 756-2091
Website: https://porterfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Umcor ($30K). Together the top 10 received $186K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($1,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
185 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 182 grants of 185 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation states that it focuses its giving in Cleveland and Mecklenburg Counties in North Carolina, Central Kentucky, Baltimore and Central Maryland, and Central Virginia. In filing year 2024, 75% of grant dollars went to North Carolina recipients, 16% to Virginia, 4% to Kentucky, 4% to Georgia, and less than 1% to Colorado.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 42 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 9 of 41 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $9K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $9K repeat.
- 76% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+3%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 95% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $301K (2020) to $333K (2021). In 2025 it made 42 grants totaling $330K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Umcor Atlanta, GA | Hurricane Helene Disaster Assistance | $30,000 |
| Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland County Shelby, NC | General Operations | $26,500 |
| Community Math Academy Shelby, NC | Enhance educational opportunities through signature programs and extended week smart camps | $20,000 |
| Life Enrichment Center of Cleveland County Inc Shelby, NC | Repair of cracked and broken concrete patio and walkways | $20,000 |
| Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry Charlottesville, VA | Providing Food to Families in Need | $20,000 |
| Children's Home of Cleveland County Inc Shelby, NC | General Operations | $15,000 |
| Cleveland County Family YMCA Inc (FKA Foothills Jr Golf Association) Shelby, NC | Youth Clinics, Equipment, Mentorships | $15,000 |
| The Salvation Army - Cleveland County Shelby, NC | Rent and Utility Assistance for Families in Need | $15,000 |
| Central United Methodist Church Shelby, NC | General Operations | $12,000 |
| Spread the Health Inc Richmond, VA | Funding a Clinical Nurse Midwife | $12,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,380,563 | $571,135 | $496,521 | $330,273 | 42 | $379,955 | $464,231 | $398,680 |
| 2024 | $7,319,158 | $1,608,479 | $430,309 | $307,500 | 37 | $349,185 | $1,530,675 | $367,880 |
| 2023 | $6,133,157 | $433,106 | $452,003 | $320,000 | 38 | $362,157 | $371,460 | $347,946 |
| 2022 | $6,095,953 | $152,457 | $472,192 | $321,000 | 38 | $360,663 | $103,553 | $362,088 |
| 2021 | $6,350,039 | $848,040 | $461,050 | $333,000 | 30 | $384,067 | $737,068 | $404,768 |
| 2020 | $5,965,836 | $363,766 | $428,141 | $301,000 | 32 | — | $318,784 | $344,175 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $399K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to advocate for community well-being by partnering with organizations that provide education, social services, and medical and palliative care essential to lifelong security and dignity. Its vision is a world where everyone has the opportunity to live with dignity, achieve personally, and contribute meaningfully.
Its stated funding priorities include K–12 education, social services, and medical and palliative care. In 2024, supported organizations included Brevard College, which says it offers an experiential liberal arts education; the Cleveland County Schools Educational Foundation, which serves the educational purposes of the county school system; and Community Math Academy, which provides intensive math programming for underserved students in grades three through six. Human-service grantees included Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, which provides food to people seeking assistance, and the Life Enrichment Center of Cleveland County, which offers adult day care and caregiver support.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 37 grants totaling $307,500. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $50,000, with a median of $7,300. The largest grant was $50,000 to Brevard College for maintenance of the Porter Center endowment. Other notable awards included $20,000 to the Life Enrichment Center of Cleveland County for patio and walkway repairs, and $15,000 each to Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland County for general operations, Children’s Home of Cleveland County for general operations, and Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry in Charlottesville to provide food to families in need. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 42 grants totaling $330,273.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ellen Porter Warlick as president, Patricia Porter Taylor as vice president, Scott Porter as treasurer, and J William Porter as secretary.
The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation is led by Ellen Porter Warlick, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ellen Porter Warlick
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
J. William Porter
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Porter Taylor
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Porter
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation
How much does The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation give each year?
The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation gave $330K across 42 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $308K across 37 grants.
What is The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,864, across 42 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation give grants?
The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation gives mostly in North Carolina: 69% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Virginia (18%) and Georgia (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Shelby, NC (13 grants), Charlotte, NC (9 grants), Charlottesville, VA (6 grants) and Danville, KY (2 grants).
Does The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 48% of The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 42) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Umcor ($30,000), Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland County ($26,500) and Community Math Academy ($20,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($1,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation?
The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation reported $7.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $380K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $399K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to advocate for community well-being by partnering with organizations that provide education, social services, and medical and palliative care essential to lifelong security and dignity. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation's EIN?
The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 59-1750571. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated November 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-paul-and-margaret-porter-charitable-foundation-morg_662dea4cc1f1402180e9d67c089b33c1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_591750571_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-paul-and-margaret-porter-charitable-foundation-morg_662dea4cc1f1402180e9d67c089b33c1},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-02. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Paul and Margaret Porter Charitable Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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